Lithographing Bases?

Meths · Lithographing Bases?

Am about to crack seriously on with finishing off the vertical Marklin 4112/11 I had through the forum some time ago.

The base has been repainted in a rather non-original green enamel, and looking at the vertical Marklin in the restorations thread, I wouldn't mind lithographing (or whatever the modern equivalent is) the base.

Any clues, ideas, pointers on how to go about it?

Cheers all

Meths

No-one here has any ideas at all? Might have to resort to trial-error-trial-report then!

Bugsy

I tried googling "simple lithography".
Man, it's not simple!
This is one method, there are more.
http://www.slideshare.net/rebeccasue/lithographygray
Phil

Roly Williams

tmuir

From my limited understanding of the process, this is not something you would want to try as a one off thing at your home.
The time involved to get it right would be huge and I doubt you could ever get a result as good as the original without serious expense.

But if you can prove me wrong I'm sure you will get a number of 'orders' from other members to do their too.

Steve_S

I doubt that a true lithograph process is practical. I have considered printing the required pattern onto decal paper (dry rub or water slide) and that would probably be OK for flat surfaces. It would need protecting with a coat or two of clear varnish and it wouldn't be particularly heat resistant but it might give reasonable results in some situations. I haven't tried it yet though. I was going to do it to the red brick part of my Cyldon 13/5 chimney but in the end I left it original.

Nick

Steamgranny did the method Steve suggests on an old Bing. It actually turned out very nice.

http://modelsteam.myfreeforum.org/about9187.html&highlight=paper

WeedenSteam

Scrollsawers transfer patterns to wood by printing a mirror image with a laser printer then ironing the image on to the wood. Wonder if a coloured laser image would work and be vivid enough.

tmuir

I now colour laser images transfered across are pale on a dark background. It may work on a white background, but also remember colour laser printers use a wax based ink so it would possibly smudge when the base got warm.
But saying that it could be worth painting some scrap metal white and giving it a try.

johnreid

Laser printers work on a heat basis, If you can find some one who has a Dye Transfer Printer, that would work better.